03 Friday 02-28
Mark 02:14-17
14 As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth,
and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.
15 And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house,
many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—
for there were many who followed him.
16 When the scribes of the Pharisees saw
that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors,
they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 When Jesus heard this, he said to them,
“Those who are well have no need of a physician,
but those who are sick;
I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
To which sinners is Jesus referring? More importantly, which sinners did he exclude?
Since Jesus does not say “only these,” and “never those,”
we must conclude that all are valued; all are loved.
The primary concept of Alcoholics Anonymous is that recovery is for life.
Perhaps Christianity should be viewed the same way; we are always forgiven sinners.